Roots - h.s

14.

My heart was keeping time.
We were dancing,
on the edge of something new.
Slow at first but still it seems
that we'll go down in history,
as lovers from the start... just me and you.

STERLING'S POV:

    After a long while of eating, and talking, and laughing we decided to leave. The ride home was simple, and easy as well, and now we're pulling back into his driveway.

    "So... How about instead of the treehouse-"

    "Not a chance. We've got work to do." I tell him, and get out of the car.

    "It was worth a shot." He shrugs, and follows me, walking towards my front door. We go inside, and I'm instantly jumped on by Jon.

    "Hey buddy." I sit down on the floor, and hug him to me.

    "When did you get him?" He asks me, standing to watch me pet the dog.

    "Oh.. he was a christmas present. I'd always wanted a dog." I tell him, and Jon jumps away from me, and runs to the back door. "That's our sign." I nod my head, and Harry smiles, going straight for the back door ahead of me. He opens it for the dog, and then he moves outside too. I follow, and close the door behind me, seeing Harry chase after Jon. I laugh, and move forward towards the tall tree. I look down at all of the supplies, and I sigh, knowing how much work has to be done.

    "I forgot!!!!!" He yells out, and I turn to see him running over to me from the woods.

    "What?" I ask, moving towards the ladder on the tree.

    "I got something! Something for the backyard. I know you said no help on the treehouse, but it's not for this tree, it's for the others." He tells me. "I'll be right back!" He yells out, and I watch him walk away, and out of the yard. I climb all the way up the treehouse, and look out, knowing I definitely left a few things I needed down on the ground.

    "Stay right there!" He yells as I try to step down. I stop what I'm doing and sit down. "Look!" He opens the bags and shows me lights. Outdoor string lights. "For all the trees around. That way when you're not looking at the stars you can have pretty lights around you so you can read, or study, or.. Or do anything." He tells me, and his excitement is the thing that makes me excited. He's so proud of himself for this, and I'm happy he's happy.

    "Well what are you waiting for? Let's hang them up." I smile, and move down from the treehouse, wanting to feed into his excitement. I hop down, and stumble which causes him to drop the bags and come over to me quickly. He reaches forward out of instinct but hesitates a little bit. "I'm fine, it's fine." I smile, and stand up straight. "See, all good." I hold my hands up, and he runs his hands through his hair. I can tell he beats himself up over it. He gets mad at himself for his own mental barricades, but no matter what caused them it's justified. Whatever he feels is a normal feeling I assume.

    I reach down, and take one of the boxes of lights, and go back towards the trees.

    "Alright helper.. Help." I wave my hands, and he moves forward.

    "The ladder is by the tree. I can't go past that line." He points to the branch I had laid down that's still there.

    "You have one singular pass... For now." I smile, and he nods, moving past the line to grab the ladder. He gets it, and comes toward me with it. He balances it on the tree next to the treehouse, and looks up. He takes a step on it, and I step forward. "Um.. What are you doing?" I ask softly.

    "Going up there first to make sure the ladder is sturdy enough.. You didn't think I'd stand down here and watch you hang these all alone did you?" He almost laughs as he speaks, and I watch as he climbs up until he's high enough to grab a branch and climb into the tree. I tuck the lights under my arm, and climb the ladder, noticing now that my height will in fact be a problem.